


奔跑 — run.

by andcntes



Category: Super Junior
Genre: Florists, Fluff, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 11:13:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15095540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andcntes/pseuds/andcntes
Summary: donghae sighs, turning to leave. he has no flowers and yoona will break up with him. his father will go back to hating him. this is his fate. the sound of footsteps halt his own and his hand hovers against the doorknob. when he turns, donghae learns a new meaning to the word ‘ flower boy. ’ the boy smiles and donghae physically staggers back.





	奔跑 — run.

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are always appreciated (●´ω｀●)

**ONE.**   
****

he’s late. he knows he is. a hand slams against the steering wheel and donghae’s car horn does the swearing for him. yoona will have his head on a platter if he’s late tonight. he’s already on thin ice considering the anniversary fiasco from this morning. if not for his girlfriend’s obsessive need to write down every single date on the calendar against the refrigerator — he’s sure he would have been mourning the loss of a relationship. even now, even though he is sure he’s out of the woods, the tie of his suit threatens to choke him. donghae’s grip on the wheel tightens, stifling the urge to loosen the cravat’s hold.

yoona has always been irrationally jealous (a quirk he’d initially found endearing) and if donghae comes to dinner with a less than perfect appearance, she’ll assume he’s been fooling around. he’ll get chastised for nothing. fingers release the tight grip against the wheel as the car maneuvers a turn. his phone buzzes next to him and donghae pulls the vehicle to a stop.

[ INCOMING TEXT — 주현 ] oppa, did you remember to buy flowers?

[ INCOMING TEXT —주현] oppa, buy the flowers!!!!!

[ INCOMING TEXT —주현] yoona unni is already angry (∩︵∩)

a groan echoes in the Porsche as donghae falls back against his seat. where the hell is he going to find a flower shop at this hour? the only one he knows of is two blocks from his home, and as well and good as _that_ is, he is nowhere near his apartment. “ _fuck_ … ” it’s then donghae’s gaze lands on the sidewalk; there is it: the solution to all his problems. harried footsteps lead him out of the car, and hands hesitate once pressed against the cool glass of the door. maybe he doesn’t have to get the flowers; maybe yoona will break up with him; maybe he’ll be spared the pain of breaking her heart.

a bell rings and donghae realizes he’s stepped over the threshold. his father would be annoyed if he learned of the break up. song yoona after all was a way to build the lee empire. really it was the only reason he was still with her, not wanting his father to treat him like a pest. that trick had gotten old after his twenty years of living.

“ sorry, ” a voice echoes from the maze of flowers. “ we’re just about to close... ” the owner of the voice really does sound apologetic and donghae wonders if the boy is watching the shop for a sister, or maybe a mother. he probably knows nothing of flowers.

donghae sighs, turning to leave. he has no flowers and yoona will break up with him. his father will go back to hating him. this is his fate. the sound of footsteps halt his own and his hand hovers against the doorknob. when he turns, donghae learns a new meaning to the word ‘ _flower boy._ ’ the boy smiles and donghae physically staggers back.

“ sorry, i just felt bad. you came all the way here... ” donghae watches, dry throat, as the boy flushes. now **_this_** is really unfair. how can somebody look this good? he notices lips moving and realizes he’s still being spoken to. the mystery flower boy’s voice filters into his stream of consciousness once more. “... and, what flowers would you like?”

donghae blinks. it takes him a good few seconds to collect himself before he clears his throat. “ is there— somebody else working here? ” he tries his hardest not to sound offensive; even though this boy is wearing an apron and there are flower petals in his hair, there is no way he could be the florist. right ?

“ i uh... i gave everyone leave today. it’s just me. ” the boy flushes an even deeper shade of coral pink, rivaling the carnations he’s stood next to and donghae’s breath catches in his throat when he catches sight of dimples. fucking dimples.

“ this is your shop? ”

“ yes? ”

“ oh i... i thought— ” he can’t say what he thinks, only now realizing how rude it would sound. what if the boy got offended? what if he refused to give donghae the flowers? to be honest, donghae is less concerned about the latter and more about the former; there’s something about this boy which makes donghae’s heart race. that’s impossible though; he has a girlfriend. he’s made his peace with his sexuality, but he has a girlfriend. a girlfriend he really likes. “ could i get some roses? it’s my anniversary with my girlfriend and i’m supposed to meet her and i forgot about our anniversary and i just realized she’ll hate me if i show up without flowers... ”

god, he’s rambling now. what has this encounter done to him? he waits for some reaction from the flower boy, amusement maybe, a snicker. he gets nothing. relief floods through him for a millisecond before its replaced by some unknown emotion. donghae knows he’s good looking, so to get no reaction from this boy in front of him is a tad irritating. he watches slender fingers caress the rose stems, watches furrowed eyebrows as thorns are chopped off. his gaze falls to tense shoulders as hands are placed against a workstation, raises to the pout on lips as the flowers are wrapped in butter paper. he only realizes he’s staring when he comes face to face with the flower boy’s chest.

“ i know you asked for roses, but uh— you mentioned a girlfriend, and an anniversary so i added some more things?” donghae is mesmerized, he can watch this boy talk all day. he leans against the workstation, elbows greasing against the wood. he doesn’t care as much about the flowers as he does about this boy; he watches the flower boy’s adam’s apple bob as he speaks and wonders how he can look so effortless doing something as mundane as speaking.

“so there are some tea roses, and gladioli. and then i’ve added the long stem roses you wanted in the centre.” donghae watches the boy grimace and he wants to ask; he wants to know why he made that face at the mention of flowers but keeps silent. “and that comes to...” donghae looks up at the sound of the flower boy’s slender fingers tapping against a calculator. he wonders if he’s been caught staring yet; he hopes not; not when he doesn’t understand why he keeps staring. “ forty three thousand won.”

“ how much? ”

bottom lip snags between teeth and donghae wonders if he’s offended the boy. god he hopes he hasn’t. “ forty three thousand, is that too much? i can redo the bouquet for a lower price! i didn’t— you didn’t give me much to go off of. ”

donghae thinks to himself, maybe he looks like a mess while rambling but this flower boy looks absolutely gorgeous. it irritates him, because nobody should look that good and he shakes his head. fingers grasp at a few notes and he places them down on the workstation, reaching for the flowers.

their fingers brush as he does and donghae feels a shiver run down his spine. “ thank you. ” he wants to say something more, wants to ask the boy to coffee but turns. his cheeks flush as he walks out of the shop and they’re most definitely not because of the cold.

 

**TWO.**

its been a week. a week exactly since donghae stumbled upon that flower shop; a week since he’s seen the flower boy with the dimpled smile; a week since he’d broken up with yoona. he tosses the pillow in his lap across the room. unfortunately for him, the door opens right then and the pillow greets his visitor in the face. “ yah, lee donghae is this some way to treat your best friend?”

donghae looks up with mild interest at the sound of a familiar voice. is he so affected by the breakup he’s started to hallucinate hyukjae? lee hyukjae had been his best friend since primary school, and was currently in the States getting an education his father had paid for. there was no way he would back so soon.

“still no hello? have you lost all your manners since i left?”

when the bed dips next to him, donghae realizes that this indeed is real. not a fantasy like he’s been assuming for so long. he turns and throws his arms around his friend. more so for his amusement because he knows how averse the latter is to physical contact.

“ so i heard from irene that you’ve been moping. ”

“ i have _not!_ ”

“ you haven’t left the room in days.” the deadpan donghae is greeted with lets him know he’s been caught.

“ there’s a boy...” his voice is hesitant, soft; as if he’s afraid.

“ a boy? i thought you were with yoona? ”

“that’s over.”

“over?”

“over,” donghae confirms. he watches as hyukjae settles in on his bed, acting as if it’s his own, reaching for a pillow.

“ so, tell me more about this boy?”

“ what? ”

“ you heard me. i’ve never seen you look this lovesick before.” disgust flits across hyukjae’s features. “ it’s sickening. ”

“ i’m not lovesick! ”

a scoff. donghae concedes. “ he has a flower shop. ”

“ a what? ”

“ a flower shop. ” pink dust settles across donghae’s cheeks as he remembers how cute the boy had looked in the blue apron, amidst the flowers.

“ oi! loverboy! what’s his name? ”

“ his what? ”

donghae hears the exasperated sigh and doesn’t actually have to look up to see the irritation in his best friend’s expression. “ his name, donghae. he must have one. ”

“ i don’t know... ”

“ _aish_... this boy, ” he hears hyukjae mutter. “ what are we going to do with you? ” donghae assumes this is the end of the conversation considering how hyukjae stands to leave.

so when he feels hands tugging at his shirt, trying to lift him off the bed, he huffs. “ why? ”

“ we’re going to that flower shop. ”

“ but i don’t need any flowers! ” it’s a weak protest, and donghae knows the real reason he doesn’t want to go is because he made a fool of himself last time, and the flower boy has probably forgotten all about him; he’s probably the only one who hasn’t been able to get those dimples out of his mind.

“ just come, would you? ” and that is how donghae finds himself outside the very same flower shop he’d been standing in front of a week ago.

hyukjae too is standing behind the door, trying to sneak a look at donghae’s flower boy and whistles in approval. “ he’s a good looking boy, you did good. ”

for some reason, these words make donghae flush and he lets out a soft whine.

“ now go in there. and ask him out. ”

“ what? ” donghae turns his head to look at his best friend, eyebrows raised.

“ you heard me. ”

“ i can’t just— ” he glances around before lowering his pitch, “ i can’t just go in there and ask him out! ” donghae doesn’t even hear hyukjae’s retort before he’s shoved through the door and standing in front of the flower boy.

“ hi! ” donghae melts; how can a simple greeting sound so exquisite? it sounds like an entire song to donghae’s ears and he feels weak in the knees all over again.

“ h-hi! ”

this gets an amused look from the flower boy and donghae flushes, staring at his hands. “ so, what can i do for you? ”

go out with me, the words rest at the tip of his tongue and donghae wonders if he’s actually going to do this. “ i— i want— ” god, it was never this difficult to ask a girl out. what is it about this flower boy which makes donghae a snivelling mess? “ another flower bouquet! ” he chickens out; and although hyukjae is nowhere near, he can feel the disappointment radiate off his best friend in waves.

“ well that i can do. what are you looking for this time? ”

 

**THREE.**

he leans his back against the workstation, watching the flower boy move behind it. he looks beautiful when he’s focused, even more so. if donghae was a photographer, he would talk about how the softness of the flowers only softened the boy’s features but he isn’t. besides, he isn’t sure he can put into words how he feels when he looks at the flower boy. a boy whose name he still doesn’t know. “ what are these flowers? ” he points to large stems, eyes wide and blinking.

the boy’s attention is directed to donghae once more, and donghae is pleased. he likes it when the flower boy looks at him, likes how it makes his heart flutter. hyukjae of course, thinks he’s a complete idiot. his own sister, irene thinks he’s an idiot.

she tells him how boys in her class move faster on a girl they like than he is with his crush on the florist. he ignores them; he’s content this way. content in his pining. “ okay well that is a gladiolus. actually ah, that was in the bouquet you ordered the first time. ”

donghae’s heart leaps; he remembers that? his conscience of course beats him to it, of course he does. he remembers what his customers order. he clears his throat, nodding as he fingers the petal before his attention is drawn to new flowers. “ how often do you get orchid arrangements? ” the surprise on the flower boy’s face makes donghae’s glow with pride; it’s obvious the other boy hadn’t been expecting such a question.

he watches as the flower boy moves to the orchids, holding them gently (the way one would cup the cheek of a lover) as he sprays them with water. “ not as much as roses. orchids are usually for weddings. ”

“ why do you make that face whenever someone mentions roses? ” donghae realizes his mistake a little too late; with this question, he’s confessed he’s been staring. he’s confessed his feelings and his cheeks feel hot all over again. so when the flower boy only laughs, donghae blinks in confusion. his body has a completely different reaction of course, chest constricting, heart racing.

“ i just— roses are so boring. but everyone only ever wants roses, there are so many better flowers. ” perhaps donghae has asked the right question because the flower boy’s face lights up when he talks about flowers. he watches as the florist runs around the space, picking up different flowers. “ i mean, i think hydrangeas are so much prettier than roses. they look gorgeous. roses feel... they’re overdone. ” he moves to a different spot, and donghae finds it harder to breath. “ or even gerberas! they’re so pretty, so much prettier than roses. ” the expression the flower boy pulls makes donghae want to coo. he pinches his thigh, stopping the noise in due time before clearing his throat.

he wants to ask him out; he knows it better than anything now. he wants to ask the flower boy on a date. donghae wipes his hands on his jeans, clearing his throat once again. god, why are his palms so sweaty? “ i— ”

this catches the flower boy’s attention and he stops attending to the bouquet he’s adjusting and turns to look at donghae. just like that, all of donghae’s confidence fades and he’s not sure of what he’s doing. he stutters, mouth opening but no words fall. he tries again. “ i— ” why is this so hard? “ make me a bouquet. ”

flower boy raises his eyebrows and donghae curses himself. how does he end up making a fool of himself every time he opens his mouth?

“ one you want. the flowers you like.”

his phone buzzes, and donghae glances down at it.

[ INCOMING TEXT — 혁재] did you ask him out yet?

[ INCOMING TEXT — 혁재] i swear virgins close the deal faster than you lee!

[ INCOMING TEXT — 혁재] do it soon.

and then as if on cue, another text appears in his inbox. this one from his sister.

[ INCOMING TEXT — 주현 ] hyuk oppa said you were going to ask out the flower boy!!!

[ INCOMING TEXT — 주현 ] you can do it! hwaiting! (✿◠‿◠)

he was supposed to ask the flower boy out on a date. what had he done instead? asked him to make another bouquet; there really was no solution to this problem. lee donghae was destined to a life of pining for a boy whose name he didn’t even know.

 

**FOUR.**

“ how is that girlfriend of yours? ”

donghae looks up at this, book abandoned on the workstation. he hadn’t expected for the flower boy to remember such a detail about him. the flowers he understands; the girlfriend he doesn’t. his cheeks flush, as he wonders again if his crush isn’t as one sided as he thought.

if it was the boy wouldn’t be so willing to let donghae practically spend all day at the flower shop. he’s not sure when it happened, or when the days bled into weeks. he knows its been almost a month since he met the flower boy; a month, and he still doesn’t know his name. he holds a flower stem between his fingers, twisting it as he sighs. “ broke up. ”

what donghae isn’t expecting is the concerned look he gets from the boy, and finds himself growing even more flustered. there’s just something about those brown eyes, or the way the flower boy invades his personal space. donghae’s heart is beating so loudly he’s afraid it will either fall out of his chest, or the boy will hear it and he will be caught out. his silly crush (which now is monstrous) will be ousted.

“ why didn’t you say anything? ” the warmth in the flower boy’s voice makes donghae’s heart flutter and he realizes he’s falling even deeper in love with this stupid boy; this boy who had captured his heart the first day donghae had seen him.

“ didn’t think it was important. ”

there is no response from flower boy at this, but donghae catches the hurt expression on his face. then again, he’d seen a different expression flit across flower boy’s features when he’d mentioned they’d broken up. there had been something akin to hope(?) glimmering in his eyes. donghae doesn’t read into it, he knows it’s probably his imagination playing tricks on him. but he doesn’t like how quiet it’s gotten.

maybe this is his chance; now the flower boy knows he’s single. there’s nothing holding him back from agreeing to a date. except for the fact he may not like you, his conscience points out snidely and donghae swallows. that much is true; there has been no indication the flower boy likes him more than a friend, if even that. maybe he’s just tolerating donghae because he’s rich. he frowns at this. “ tell me more about the flowers. ”

flower boy looks at him, as if he’s trying to figure donghae out but gives up and shrugs. “ okay, so this-” he lifts the flower he’s holding, “- is a peony. we got these flown in from china last month. they’re the most expensive flowers in this shop, and... they’re my favourite. ”

donghae sees another opportunity; he has to take it this time. this time he will not chicken out. he knows he has to ask the flower boy out, for the sake of his own sanity. besides, if he lets this drag out any longer - hyukjae will never let him forget it. he looks at the boy then, wiping his palms against his jeans.

this is it. he’s going to do it. he’s finally going to admit his feelings. “ a bouquet of peonies.”

“ what? ”

“ make me a bouquet of peonies. i’ll give them to my mother. ” the detail is tacked on unnecessarily, mostly to throw flower boy off his trail. the only reason donghae is buying them is because flower boy said they were his favourite.

when he sits in hyukjae’s car later that evening, bouquet in his arms - he is greeted with a groan. “ only you... ” hyukjae sighs, ruffling his friend’s hair as he pulls the car out of parking.

 

**FIVE.**

the thing is, donghae has grown accustomed to seeing flower boy’s smiling face greeting him from behind the workstation. so when the face greeting him is an unfamiliar one, donghae stifles the urge to turn and run. he feels safer around the flower boy; maybe the world can see donghae’s heart eyes but flower boy can’t. this although infuriating, is also reassuring.

“ how can i help you? ”

even the voice sounds wrong; everything feels wrong because flower boy isn’t there. donghae’s awkwardness must show on his face because he’s given a kind look by this new boy. he doesn’t like it; it looks like pity, and this boy looks like a kid. donghae doesn’t want a kid pitying him.

“ is there something you’re looking for? in particular? ”

yes, yes there is. donghae is looking for his flower boy. its the only reason he makes the drive up here almost every day without fail. to see the flower boy, to spend time with him. he always leaves a few thousand won lighter too, a bouquet of flowers in his arm. it isn’t his fault; somehow he always ends up with flowers whenever he goes to confess his feelings.

“i— where’s the other boy who works here? he knows... he knows what i want. ”

a knowing smirk grows on the other boy’s features, and donghae’s heart sinks. what does that mean? it feels patronizing almost, as if this kid is used to girls asking for the flower boy donghae is in love with. jealousy sears through him at the thought of anybody else looking at his flower boy like that.

“ siwon hyung! customer! ” the other boy yells into the distance and donghae’s heart nearly stops.

_siwon..._

he has a name. donghae’s flower boy has a name, and of course it’s just as gorgeous as it’s owner. donghae wonders if there is anything siwon can’t do without making it seem near perfection. he decides no when he sees siwon walk through the hallway of flowers, petals in his hair. he’s wearing a light pink shirt, white pants — even though most of it is hidden by the tan apron he wears.

he’s not even looking at donghae, and donghae already feels breathless. he twists his fingers, avoiding siwon’s gaze. when he sees feet in front of him, donghae knows he can’t avoid him any longer.

“ you’re back, ” siwon notes, and donghae takes notice of the dimpled smile that accompanies this statement. it makes his heart flutter, and momentarily he wonders if this smile is for _him_.

“ i’m back. ” god, he sounds like an idiot. maybe it’s a good thing he hasn’t acted on his urges; siwon deserves better than a stuttering idiot like lee donghae.

“ the usual then? ”

“ y-yeah, ” donghae manages to squeak, because siwon’s hand has just brushed against his and his sensory nerves are experiencing a system overload.

he watches instead, watches siwon work with such precision. he watches him hold the flowers carefully as he wraps the flowers in a bouquet. it’s only then does he realize, he has no fucking clue what the usual is. he’s never asked for the same bouquet whenever he’s been here; how can he have a usual? he wonders if he’s being fucked with. if siwon has finally caught onto donghae’s feelings and is now humiliating him.

donghae swallows the bile and panic rising up his throat as siwon makes his way towards him once more. the bouquet is in his hand, and donghae’s eyes flicker in recognition. it’s the same bouquet he’d been given that first night. the first time he’d seen flower boy siwon. he wonders what the meaning of this could be; especially since he knows siwon hates roses.

he blinks at the bouquet then, realizing the long stemmed roses have been replaced with peonies. his heart thuds in his chest, eyes widen. what is the meaning of this?

“ how many bouquets are you going to buy? ”

“ huh? ”

“ what do you even do with so many flowers? ”

“i—i... ” donghae is at a loss for words.

“ do you know what peonies symbolize, donghae-ssi? ”

at this donghae freezes. flower boy knows his name?of course he knows your name, hyukjae practically yelled it last time he came to pick you up. “ n—no. ”

“ they say peonies symbolize bashfulness. ”

“ oh? ” donghae’s voice is choked as siwon moves closer to him.

“ and some florists even say, peonies represent love. you know, between two strangers. ”

“ th—that’s interesting. ”

“ so, i was wondering donghae-ssi... ”

“ hm? ” god, siwon is almost too close now. close enough for donghae to catch a whiff of that cologne.

“ would you like to have coffee with me? ”


End file.
